Download or read book Commercial Space Transportation: Industry Trends and Key Issues Affecting Federal Oversight and International Competitiveness written by Gerald L. Dillingham and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2011-08 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The commercial space launch industry has evolved and moved further toward space tourism. Commercial space tourism promises to make human space travel available to the public for the first time. In addition, NASA plans to use private companies to transport cargo, and eventually personnel, to the International Space Station after NASA retires the space shuttle later in 2011. The FAA oversees the safety of commercial space launches, licensing and monitoring the safety of such launches and of commercial spaceports, and promotes the industry. This testimony addresses: (1) recent industry trends; (2) FAA's related budget request for FY 2012; and (3) challenges that FAA and industry faces. Illustrations. This is a print on demand report.